You are wrong.

First!

Huckabee scares me. Just so you know.

They want an authoritarian far far more than someone who will please the fundies. The religious will get behind a Bad Daddy if it’s him or the Clenis in the White House.

It wouldn’t surprise me.

What you say makes sense. Now, if you would, predict the Democratic presidential nominee. I am not being flippant here.

[Mod Note; edited at commenter request. Preview is your friend]

I believe hs is still a minister and he is no longer the Governor of Arkansas.

With the Repubs, yes, Huckabee.
With the Neocons, Ghouliani or Thompson.

It will depend on what there are more of, Repubs or Neocons, and who is in control of the voting machines.

Prediction. Dems – Edwards.

Prediction. Musharraf out/Butto in.

Is it too late for Rudy, St. McCain, or Fabulous Freddy to start pretending to be an evangelical? That’s worked well for Bush for many years.

Deleted

The Huckster is indeed a scary person. I can see it all quite clearly now, an evolution denying pResident. We are already a laughingstock in the eyes of the World, why not go for the gusto?

The republicans will nominate Benazir Bhutto?

Prediction:

Thompson’s first act as Presdinent – start war with Kruschev of the Soviet Union and then go after the Presdinent of Peru, Chavez.

Mods:

Would you please delete the Dr Zen @1 comment quote in my #5. My comment is for PW only. Thx.

Dr Zen @ 3

They want an authoritarian far far more than someone who will please the fundies. The religious will get behind a Bad Daddy if it’s him or the Clenis in the White House.

Second that. Rudie’s the man.

smapdi @ 11

The republicans will nominate Benazir Bhutto?

I think we are witnessing it as we speak…

Didnt Huckabee release that Clinton cousin rapist?
Then LIE about it, notwithstanding the huge paper trail?

Oklahoma kiddo @ 13

Mods:

Would you please delete the Dr Zen @1 comment quote in my #5. My comment is for PW only. Thx.

Sorry, easy mistake to make though, because it’s just so hard to imagine that Huckabee will appeal to anyone but people who hold the same views as him. The Republicans are not all batshit, after all.

Jeb Bush is quietly waiting in the wings…

LS @ 12

Prediction:

Thompson’s first act as Presdinent – start war with Kruschev of the Soviet Union and then go after the President of Peru, Chavez.

707!

Hucky fer prez—stranger things have happened.

He’s been a governor and doesn’t have a voting record- PLUS

He pleases the religious right –PLUS

He’s from the south- PLUS (for goopers)

He’s probably willing to cut suspected terrorists nuts off with a dull razor blade fer Jesus—PLUS (although ALL the gooper candidates seem to share this plus).

He’s kinda likable and funny too.

Arca @ 18

Jeb Bush is quietly waiting in the wings…

Yup, plus he’s unemployed…

You are wrong.

Huckabee is stupid enough, but not mean enough. The evangelicals are going to swallow hard and go for Romney, then the Republicans will, and eventually the whole country.

Here’s my prediction for how it goes down.

http://fbomber.blogspot.com/

I don’t like it either, but then again I haven’t liked much that’s happened in the last 7 years.

I agree with you. Months ago, I heard Bill Clinton make some comment about Huckabee being the possible nominee and advising not to mis-underestimate (lol!) him just because Huckabee was not getting the press coverage.

You may be right (though I hope not, Huckabee is the GOP nominee who I think has the best shot at winning), but I disagree with your logic. The nominee isn’t chosen by some committee sitting down and logically thinking through who would be the best, but by individual people in various states deciding who they like best. And while trying to second-guess who other people will vote for (”electability”) is part of it, I don’t think it’s that big a part of it.

IMHO, your instincts are correct. Huckabee is the one gopper who can unify their party. The corporatists will turn to him when they realize that Rudy can’t carry the base.

Haven’t paid a lot of attention to Hucky- but seems that his campaign has had a populist twang. How does Halliburton like him?- Or Wall Street? Exxon Mobil?

OT, but I have to share.

I am a trustee of Historic Huguenot Street (huguenotstreet.org), a small historic preservation operation that owns & maintains as museums 8 colonial buildings on their original sites, plus other properties. We have a small amount of money that has been donated for scholarships for undergraduates. Today we had the meeting to select the 9 recipients for 2007, out of about 20 applications. Let me tell you what a pleasure it was to meet, on paper, these fine young people. It was an embarrassment of riches. If only our leaders could be a upstanding as these applicants.

Redshift @ 24

You may be right (though I hope not, Huckabee is the GOP nominee who I think has the best shot at winning), but I disagree with your logic. The nominee isn’t chosen by some committee sitting down and logically thinking through who would be the best, but by individual people in various states deciding who they like best. And while trying to second-guess who other people will vote for (”electability”) is part of it, I don’t think it’s that big a part of it.

There is no way in hell that a Repub will win the ‘08 election, unless the elections are not tampered with……

If Huckabee is seen a threat by the “serious” pygmies, they will make him defend his record as Governor; one example, on immigration:

(snip)
Take immigration. Back in Arkansas, Huckabee won the hearts of civil libertarians by championing the cause of Hispanics, seeking state-funded scholarships and health care for the children of undocumented aliens and denouncing the Know Nothings from Northwest Arkansas who wanted to round them up and jail them or send them back to Mexico. Those Christians drank “a different Jesus juice” than he did, the governor quipped. He favored President Bush’s plan to offer an easier way toward citizenship. It has won him some favorable attention in the media.

But at the “values summit” last week Huckabee had sipped the more bitter ecclesiastical juice. He outdid even Tom Tancredo in immigrant bashing. “We need to make it clear that we will say ‘no’ to amnesty and ‘no’ to sanctuary cities and ‘no’ to the idea that there can be some complete ignoring of the fact that our laws have been broken,” he thundered. “Build a fence! Secure the border and do it now!” He brought the crowd to its feet and ran away with the straw poll.

On taxes:

(snip)
Huckabee’s ability to do one thing, claim quite the opposite and get credit for both was best on display with the one issue where every candidate spoke with a single mind: taxes. Huckabee claimed the purest anti-tax record, having forced the first serious tax cut in Arkansas history through a tax-crazy Democratic legislature and having cut taxes no less than 94 times. The Club for Growth, the rich man’s lobby, has bedeviled him on that, calling him “Tax Hike Mike.” As the Democrat-Gazette pointed out last month, Huckabee raised taxes far more than he cut them.

His explanations have been anything but honest. He claimed that two of the big tax increases were ratified by the voters (only one was) and beyond his means of stopping, failing to mention that he campaigned hard for both of them. His campaign points out that he refused to sign the biggest tax increase, a 7/8ths of one percent sales tax in 2003, but he had pleaded with the legislature to raise taxes and did not sign the bill because the legislators had rejected his other initiative, to consolidate more small schools and thus cut administrative waste.
(snip)

AR-Times

Huckabee is a hypocrite because he lies about some good things that he did as gov.

smapdi @ 16

Didnt Huckabee release that Clinton cousin rapist?
Then LIE about it, notwithstanding the huge paper trail?

ANd that’s a minus in Republican eyes, how exactly?

A factor that we will see in the 08 election that we have not seen before is a huge vote by the youth who see their future as an ecological disaster.

I agree. I’ve been saying it for months. Just waiting for the religious right to get on board the train and claim him as their “Huckleberry”. Isn’t it strange how Daddy Shrub used a paroled murderer against Dukasis, yet nobody is using paroled Wayne Dumond against Huck.

What does “threatened” mean?

AP – House Democrats threatened Monday to hold President Bush’s key confidants in contempt of Congress unless they comply with subpoenas for information on the Justice Department’s purge of federal prosecutors last winter.

But if I’m right, you heard it here first.

Let the record show, that i “heard” it here first in March 2006:

http://www.washingtonmonthly.c…..008405.php

‘Cept I was wrong about almost everything else!!!

I’ve heard Huckabee interviewed a couple of times and he sounds like a decent fellow. Other than the flat earth wingnut dogma, what am I missing?

I think Rudy’s the republican’s go-to guy. :o) He’ll get it, and I’m glad. :o)

He can’t even whisper the words “family values”. And unless we’re crazy enough to nominate Clinton, he’s going to spend a LARGE part of the campaign gnoshing on a gigantic, bloody, festering, dead crow named “What-used-to-be-Iraq”.

He’s THEIR trainwreck-waiting-to-happen, just like Hillary is ours, except I have hope/doubts that she’ll get it. I think too many dems will come to their senses, drop the sentimentality, and take a good long look at how much and how deep is the built-in antipathy there is to her on the part of huge numbers of voters.

I also think that purchased polls are already playing a part in the election. Hiring a fly-by-night company to make a telephone survey of 500 voters is not something we want to hang our hat on, when it comes to picking a candidate.

Just keep asking ALL the candidates the tough questions and let the primaries run. That’s what they’re for.

No coronations, and damn sure no free rides on who’s been cozy with bush and the GOP fatcats.

rwcole @ 20

Hucky fer prez—stranger things have happened.

He’s been a governor and doesn’t have a voting record- PLUS

He pleases the religious right –PLUS

He’s from the south- PLUS (for goopers)

He’s probably willing to cut suspected terrorists nuts off with a dull razor blade fer Jesus—PLUS (although ALL the gooper candidates seem to share this plus).

He’s kinda likable and funny too.

Gore and Jimmy Carter are from the South.

Romney, I’ll admit, is a possibility. He’s photogenic and he’s got deep pockets.

In america, that makes him a threat.

Huckabee-Paul would unite the fungelicals and wingnuts like no other ticket. PW may have something here…

Oklahoma kiddo @ 33

What does “threatened” mean?

AP – House Democrats threatened Monday to hold President Bush’s key confidants in contempt of Congress unless they comply with subpoenas for information on the Justice Department’s purge of federal prosecutors last winter.

They waved their “hankies” at Junya.

Junya thought they were surrendering, so he’s getting drunk tonite.

Ed*ard Teller @ 39

Huckabee-Paul would unite the fungelicals and wingnuts like no other ticket. PW may have something here…

You’ve got a good point on that one.

Whoever ends up being the Repub nominee does not yet concern me.
I want them to have to scratch and claw at each other for a good long time and burn up a lot of money doing it.

Huckabee. I do say his last name is cool, seriously. I don’t like his political views though. So I won’t be voting for him.

IIRC, Huckabee is a minister.
I could be thinking of another one, but I think I saw that somewhere.

Actually, I like Ron Paul’s views on the Iraq war.

eCAHNomics @ 27

OT, but I have to share.

I am a trustee of Historic Huguenot Street (huguenotstreet.org), a small historic preservation operation that owns & maintains as museums 8 colonial buildings on their original sites, plus other properties. We have a small amount of money that has been donated for scholarships for undergraduates. Today we had the meeting to select the 9 recipients for 2007, out of about 20 applications. Let me tell you what a pleasure it was to meet, on paper, these fine young people. It was an embarrassment of riches. If only our leaders could be a upstanding as these applicants.

Very cool. Ms. Redshift went to college in New Paltz, and still considers it a second home, so I’m quite familiar with the street.

Huckabee is too icky once you get past the current fake posing. Where are his wife and sons –at fat camp? He is creepy.

I think they will end up with Thompson

Hucksterbee –used government salesman

lots of ethically challenged incidents in his life

Oklahoma kiddo @ 45

Actually, I like Ron Paul’s views on the Iraq war.

which pretty much keeps him out of consideration.

katherine Graham Cracker @ 47

Huckabee is too icky once you get past the current fake posing. Where are his wife and sons –at fat camp? He is creepy.

I think they will end up with Thompson

Hmmm…I’ve never seen a picture of Mrs. Huckabee or the kids.

punaise @ 35

I’ve heard Huckabee interviewed a couple of times and he sounds like a decent fellow. Other than the flat earth wingnut dogma, what am I missing?

Some info about Huckabee..factual but fun reading.

link

link

link

link

Mad Dogs @ 40

Oklahoma kiddo @ 33

What does “threatened” mean?

AP – House Democrats threatened Monday to hold President Bush’s key confidants in contempt of Congress unless they comply with subpoenas for information on the Justice Department’s purge of federal prosecutors last winter.

They waved their “hankies” at Junya.

Junya thought they were surrendering, so he’s getting drunk tonite.

The view here is either the prez is drinking too much, or not enough. In any event something’s radically wrong.

Here is Mrs. Huckabee (kind of a strange picture though, as if it almost a painting or something):

http://www.mikehuckabee.com/in……MeetJanet

You might be right! I guess one Fascist is as good as another. Let’s hear if for Hu..uuccc..cubeeee! Oh and by the way, before we leave, did someone make sure to tell Huckabee to go f**k himself? Oh, someone did…I thought so.

I do not think Rudy will win the nomination, because he has significant personal baggage for the conservatives (three marriages, friendly with gay men, Catholic, New Yorker). I do not think Romney will win the nomination, because he is a Mormon. (It’s not fair, but as Jimmy Carter famously said, life is not fair.) So I think that Huckabee is a strong possibility. Huckabee has some very serious baggage of his own (the pardoned rapist who became a murderer), but in fact, it is extremely likely that the Republican nominee is going to be a sacrificial lamb.

This country is eager for change. I think Hillary is going to win the nomination, and I think she is going to be our next president.

Whomever the Dems nominate is going to win, and probably by a lot. Even if we are attacked again by Osama. Maybe by more if we are hit again, because then, Bush and the GOP haven’t kept us safe.

This country has not been so ready for change since 1979.

Arca @ 18

Jeb Bush is quietly waiting in the wings…

Yup: brokered convention, false flag op, martial law, ta-da!

Oh, I don’t think it’s too far-fetched. At the very least, I think Mr. H will make it onto the ticket as a VP. How about a Ghoul/Huckabee ticket?

I’m just wondering what the “powers-that-be” within the R team are thinking? It could be that they’ve already written off 2008. Perhaps they just view it as something of a “down-cycle”, and plan to make a thunderous return in 2012….preceeded by a planned gain in the Congress in 2010. If Hillary gets the WH….she won’t be of any help to candidates in 2010. This could be the thinking of the R team….gosh, who knows?

But seeing Mr. H in some capacity on the 2008 ticket is not so far-fetched to me.

Ghostman

Redshift @ 46
Come again & let me know. I’ll arrange a good tour & lunch. Closed for season until May, though.

Also, SUNY-NP is becoming quite the place, if you hadn’t noticed. Quality of entering students (yes, yes, according to conventional measures, so don’t get on my case about that) keeps going up each year, and President Poskanzer is committed to minorities. I was on that foundation board for 6 years.

Both organizations are open for donations!

Ed*ard Teller @ 39

Huckabee-Paul would unite the fungelicals and wingnuts like no other ticket. PW may have something here…

Ding!

Huckabee is a dim bulb with a heart, a misguided heart in many cases but a heart never-the-less which will hurt him among authoritarian supporters. He lies with every breath.. his wife, once exposed, will embarrass even his most ardent supporters.

Is it me or is Fred Thompson in the race for simple PR or awaiting appointment if something happens to Cheney or Bush.

LS @ 52

Here is Mrs. Huckabee (kind of a strange picture though, as if it almost a painting or something):

http://www.mikehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=A
bout.MeetJanet

Airbrushed.

Hucksterbee humor –I’m sure he told this at all the Schiavo events he attended

Today on the way up here Matt Mayberry [Dover City Councilor] was driving us. He was telling us about a lady here that had hosted her uncle who had come into New Hampshire for a visit. Kind of a tragic story. He came to visit his niece and while there had a heart attack, and they had to take him to the hospital. They got him to the hospital and after a few minutes the doctor came out and says well ma’am I need to tell you that here’s the situation with your uncle. His brain is dead, but his heart’s still beating. The niece grabbed her cheek and said oh my we’ve never had a Democrat in the family before. [laughter]. I could only get away telling that out of state at a Republican gathering. [applause].
http://www.gwu.edu/~action/200…..05spt.html

Oklahoma kiddo @ 45

Actually, I like Ron Paul’s views on the Iraq war.

I like Ron Paul’s views on everything compared to the rest of the repubs. He makes sense. Of course, I don’t agree with him on most things but a dem could debate him and it would be worth seeing. The others are so insane that it’s worthless to hear their rants.

BTW, I surely believe that Rudy’s shot at beating Hillary is one hell of lot better than 50-50.

Same old story; conservatives, with little regard as to party, would sell their shoes to get cab-fare to the polls to keep Clinton out of the white house.

But if we run either Edwards or Obama, then the Rudester, and any other republican is that sacrificial goat.

Nothing has changed; nominating Clinton will mean that we’re choosing the one candidate who can’t take advantage of the one issue on which bush and the GOP are most vulnerable.

And with Iraq likely to become even more of an issue as the weeks pass, why should we throw these people a life-preserver like that?

PW,

Huck’s my second guess.

I’ve spoken with enough of my fundie acquaintances to know the Islamofascists have replaced the old Soviet Union as the wingnut’s fear factor. They are going to want a mean old white guy, and Huck ain’t mean enough.

Fercrissake – Ghouliani is now representing he tortured Mob guys. Plus, the race-baiting.

http://www.alternet.org/wire/66906/

For the ‘pugs, it’s all good.

Dr Zen @ 1

You are wrong.

I certainly hope so.

First!

Congrats!

Oklahoma kiddo @ 45

Actually, I like Ron Paul’s views on the Iraq war.

Shame that’s literally the only think to like about him. He’s tightly connected with the white supremacists who want to make sport of shooting immigrants crossing defending the border.

diogenes @ 63

PW,

Huck’s my second guess.

I’ve spoken with enough of my fundie acquaintances to know the Islamofascists have replaced the old Soviet Union as the wingnut’s fear factor. They are going to want a mean old white guy, and Huck ain’t mean enough.

If Tancredo runs third party after Rudy get the GOP nomination, that would make me one very happy Phoenix. We could run Mike Gravel and still win.

Eureka Springs @ 58

Ed*ard Teller @ 39

Huckabee-Paul would unite the fungelicals and wingnuts like no other ticket. PW may have something here…

Ding!

Huckabee is a dim bulb with a heart, a misguided heart in many cases but a heart never-the-less which will hurt him among authoritarian supporters. He lies with every breath.. his wife, once exposed, will embarrass even his most ardent supporters.

Is it me or is Fred Thompson in the race for simple PR or awaiting appointment if something happens to Cheney or Bush.

IMO, Huckabee is probably the brightest of the pygmies..He has no formal education beyond high school. Baptist college and Theological Sem. don’t count as education, IMO.

*sigh*
I spend my vote cancelling my 89-year-old father’s vote. Last week he said he was going to vote for Thompson, because they have the same first name. sheesh.

opie_jeanne @ 68

*sigh*
I spend my vote cancelling my 89-year-old father’s vote. Last week he said he was going to vote for Thompson, because they have the same first name. sheesh.

Freddy?

I read that Ron Paul raised $2,000,000 on the web – today! I wonder if it is coincidental that today is Guy Fawkes Day…

Ghostman @ 56

Oh, I don’t think it’s too far-fetched. At the very least, I think Mr. H will make it onto the ticket as a VP. How about a Ghoul/Huckabee ticket?

I’m just wondering what the “powers-that-be” within the R team are thinking? It could be that they’ve already written off 2008. Perhaps they just view it as something of a “down-cycle”, and plan to make a thunderous return in 2012….preceeded by a planned gain in the Congress in 2010. If Hillary gets the WH….she won’t be of any help to candidates in 2010. This could be the thinking of the R team….gosh, who knows?

But seeing Mr. H in some capacity on the 2008 ticket is not so far-fetched to me.

Ghostman

I read that as “Ghoulabee”.

Ouch.

peanutbutter @ 65

Oklahoma kiddo @ 45

Actually, I like Ron Paul’s views on the Iraq war.

Shame that’s literally the only think to like about him. He’s tightly connected with the white supremacists who want to make sport of shooting immigrants crossing defending the border.

Agree, Except for Iraq, Ron Paul may be the worst..he is really a true believer.

LS @ 52

Here is Mrs. Huckabee (kind of a strange picture though, as if it almost a painting or something):

http://www.mikehuckabee.com/in……MeetJanet

Heavily airbrushed? Seriously, I don’t remember he being that… thin.

Eureka Springs @ 58

Ed*ard Teller @ 39

Huckabee-Paul would unite the fungelicals and wingnuts like no other ticket. PW may have something here…

Ding!

Huckabee is a dim bulb with a heart, a misguided heart in many cases but a heart never-the-less which will hurt him among authoritarian supporters. He lies with every breath.. his wife, once exposed, will embarrass even his most ardent supporters.

Is it me or is Fred Thompson in the race for simple PR or awaiting appointment if something happens to Cheney or Bush.

Can you tell us what is it about Mrs. Huckabee that’s embarrassing?

punaise @ 35

I’ve heard Huckabee interviewed a couple of times and he sounds like a decent fellow. Other than the flat earth wingnut dogma, what am I missing?

Oh come on, in the face of the “fear mongering” goopers we have to gave all kinds of reasons to be “afraid” of these dangerous people!

peanutbutter @ 65

Oklahoma kiddo @ 45

Actually, I like Ron Paul’s views on the Iraq war.

Shame that’s literally the only think to like about him. He’s tightly connected with the white supremacists who want to make sport of shooting immigrants crossing defending the border.

Exactly.

The irony of Ron Paul is that the best thing about him — his opposition to the Iraq war — is precisely why the GOP leadership hates him and won’t let him near the ticket. His racism and association with scummy white-power nutjobs is actually a good thing as far as they’re concerned.

Eureka Springs @ 58

Ed*ard Teller @ 39

Huckabee-Paul would unite the fungelicals and wingnuts like no other ticket. PW may have something here…

Ding!

Huckabee is a dim bulb with a heart, a misguided heart in many cases but a heart never-the-less which will hurt him among authoritarian supporters. He lies with every breath.. his wife, once exposed, will embarrass even his most ardent supporters.

Is it me or is Fred Thompson in the race for simple PR or awaiting appointment if something happens to Cheney or Bush.

One thing about Huckabee, IIRC, he has been quoted as saying that if the R’s nominate Rudy or Freddie or say Newt, then a lot of people owe apologies to Big Dog for the Impeachment and family values cr*p.

The tipping point for the American public will be when they fear more war, the loss of their constitutional rights, and the destruction of the very planet they live on, more than they fear a terrorist attack, gay people, brown people, and higher taxes.

TeddySanFran @ 55

Arca @ 18

Jeb Bush is quietly waiting in the wings…

Yup: brokered convention, false flag op, martial law, ta-da!

*shudder*
I had that vision yesterday, during a conversation with my husband. A daytime nightmare.

Can you tell us what is it about Mrs. Huckabee that’s embarrassing?

The AR Times links Steve listed above will do a far better job than I.. Frankly, TRex would have a ball with her as subject matter.

Ghostman @ 56

Oh, I don’t think it’s too far-fetched. At the very least, I think Mr. H will make it onto the ticket as a VP. How about a Ghoul/Huckabee ticket?

I’m just wondering what the “powers-that-be” within the R team are thinking? It could be that they’ve already written off 2008. Perhaps they just view it as something of a “down-cycle”, and plan to make a thunderous return in 2012….preceeded by a planned gain in the Congress in 2010. If Hillary gets the WH….she won’t be of any help to candidates in 2010. This could be the thinking of the R team….gosh, who knows?

But seeing Mr. H in some capacity on the 2008 ticket is not so far-fetched to me.

Ghostman

Permanent VP Cheney may not approve of that ticket.

smapdi @ 16

Didnt Huckabee release that Clinton cousin rapist?
Then LIE about it, notwithstanding the huge paper trail?

Why yes, yes he did.

HRC would in our view bury Huckabee.

Eureka Springs @ 80

Can you tell us what is it about Mrs. Huckabee that’s embarrassing?

The AR Times links Steve listed above will do a far better job than I.. Frankly, TRex would have a ball with her as subject matter.

Without resorting to crude sexual jokes I hope! :)

opie_jeanne @ 79

TeddySanFran @ 55

Yup: brokered convention, false flag op, martial law, ta-da!

*shudder*
I had that vision yesterday, during a conversation with my husband. A daytime nightmare.

Shudder on….:

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/…..-fox-news/

Hey PW, I think he might win Iowa.

Bustednuckles @ 69

opie_jeanne @ 68

*sigh*
I spend my vote cancelling my 89-year-old father’s vote. Last week he said he was going to vote for Thompson, because they have the same first name. sheesh.

Freddy?

Yes. Dad’s name is Fred. It says so on his belt buckle.

Ghostman @ 56

Oh, I don’t think it’s too far-fetched. At the very least, I think Mr. H will make it onto the ticket as a VP. How about a Ghoul/Huckabee ticket?

That’s about the only way to keep the Fundies from bolting while having a guy at the top of the ticket who doesn’t frighten the low-information voters.

Phoenix Woman @ 66

diogenes @ 63

PW,

Huck’s my second guess.

I’ve spoken with enough of my fundie acquaintances to know the Islamofascists have replaced the old Soviet Union as the wingnut’s fear factor. They are going to want a mean old white guy, and Huck ain’t mean enough.

If Tancredo runs third party after Rudy get the GOP nomination, that would make me one very happy Phoenix. We could run Mike Gravel and still win.

A third party challenge from the right? I like the way you think! (again!)

Bonus thought: Any Dem who wins who doesn’t put Robert Reich in as Sec. of Labor (along with a very big stick for clout) is crazy. Little guy: big heart.

Susan in Iowa @ 86

Hey PW, I think he might win Iowa.

And if he does, all bets are off on the Republican side.

dakine01 @ 77

Eureka Springs @ 58

Ding!

Huckabee is a dim bulb with a heart, a misguided heart in many cases but a heart never-the-less which will hurt him among authoritarian supporters. He lies with every breath.. his wife, once exposed, will embarrass even his most ardent supporters.

Is it me or is Fred Thompson in the race for simple PR or awaiting appointment if something happens to Cheney or Bush.

One thing about Huckabee, IIRC, he has been quoted as saying that if the R’s nominate Rudy or Freddie or say Newt, then a lot of people owe apologies to Big Dog for the Impeachment and family values cr*p.

He really said that? His stock just went up half a point with me, not that they don’t already owe Bill an apology.

eCAHNomics @ 27

OT, but I have to share.

I am a trustee of Historic Huguenot Street (huguenotstreet.org), a small historic preservation operation that owns & maintains as museums 8 colonial buildings on their original sites, plus other properties. We have a small amount of money that has been donated for scholarships for undergraduates. Today we had the meeting to select the 9 recipients for 2007, out of about 20 applications. Let me tell you what a pleasure it was to meet, on paper, these fine young people. It was an embarrassment of riches. If only our leaders could be a upstanding as these applicants.

Always nice to meet a few rays of sunshine, isn’t it?

Hi, diogenes -

Was just thinking about you recently; guess our swim times don’t always mesh. Gonna be in Wilm-ton anytime in the near future?

Ghouliani hearts Kerik:

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/…..nie-kerik/

I believe David Brooks predicted Huckabee would be the nominee a few weeks ago in one of his NYT columns.

Tom Tancredo and Huckabee Finn. Sailing down the Mississippi together on the presidential yacht with Jim serving the mint julips and Paul Robson singing Old Man River. Very rich.

OT..Special Comment on Countdown tonight;
Subject torture and Bush is a Liar

C&L

What’s the chance that Rudy will have a “born-again” ecstacy? Worked for Georgie.

“…you heard it here first”

Well, what’s the old thing about does a tree make a sound if it falls but there’s no one to hear it? About a month ago here on FDL in the comments I made the same prediction in response to a question, but maybe nobody heard :-)
(Sorry, no linky available.)

The big question with Huckabee is the financing. PW doesn’t really address that, in her otherwise perceptive analysis. I didn’t either, but I see that now as critical.

Is Huckabee in a financial position to capitalize on his favorables? Or will the mud continue to slide harmlessly from Teflon Rudy, despite all indications that he’s the real rat in the race?

Bob in HI

(This got seriously EPU’ed; could I insert this here without interfering too much?)

OT, but I finally stumbled across a site where waterboarding is discussed by a very knowledgeable person, and it is NOT a ‘SIMULATION OF DROWNING’; it IS drowning. He writes:

“2. Waterboarding is not a simulation. Unless you have been strapped down to the board, have endured the agonizing feeling of the water overpowering your gag reflex, and then feel your throat open and allow pint after pint of water to involuntarily fill your lungs, you will not know the meaning of the word.

Waterboarding is a controlled drowning that, in the American model, occurs under the watch of a doctor, a psychologist, an interrogator and a trained strap-in/strap-out team. It does not simulate drowning, as the lungs are actually filling with water. There is no way to simulate that. The victim is drowning. How much the victim is to drown depends on the desired result (in the form of answers to questions shouted into the victim’s face) and the obstinacy of the subject. A team doctor watches the quantity of water that is ingested and for the physiological signs which show when the drowning effect goes from painful psychological experience, to horrific suffocating punishment to the final death spiral.

Waterboarding is slow motion suffocation with enough time to contemplate the inevitability of black out and expiration –usually the person goes into hysterics on the board. For the uninitiated, it is horrifying to watch and if it goes wrong, it can lead straight to terminal hypoxia. When done right it is controlled death. Its lack of physical scarring allows the victim to recover and be threaten with its use again and again.

Call it “Chinese Water Torture,” “the Barrel,” or “the Waterfall,” it is all the same. Whether the victim is allowed to comply or not is usually left up to the interrogator. Many waterboard team members, even in training, enjoy the sadistic power of making the victim suffer and often ask questions as an after thought. These people are dangerous and predictable and when left unshackled, unsupervised or undetected they bring us the murderous abuses seen at Abu Ghraieb, Baghram and Guantanamo. No doubt, to avoid human factors like fear and guilt someone has created a one-button version that probably looks like an MRI machine with high intensity waterjets.”

Janet Huckabee said in the Times article that her critics have bothered her. “If it wasn’t for the grace of God, I’d have shot a few people already,” she said. “Jesus wasn’t liked either. And Jesus was mistreated and called names.”

Tucker: Fred Thompson is pro-choice!!!!!

I hope you’re wrong, but I agree. Easily the most formidable gooper, he has fewer exploitable flaws. He pleases the christo-fascists and projects empathy that will be attractive to non-political indy’s.

It would be a grave error to underestimate this guy.

What happened to that Swopa post?

If I were a Republican, I think my choice would be Huck.

raven @ 100

Janet Huckabee said in the Times article that her critics have bothered her. “If it wasn’t for the grace of God, I’d have shot a few people already,” she said. “Jesus wasn’t liked either. And Jesus was mistreated and called names.”

well one of the sons carrys a gun all the time
maybe she will just have him take care of her critics. People were especially harsh after she and the Huckster set up a going away account at Target to buy gifts for them when they left the governor’s office. Kind of like a bridal registry. These folks are not ready for prime time,

raven @ 100

Janet Huckabee said in the Times article that her critics have bothered her. “If it wasn’t for the grace of God, I’d have shot a few people already,” she said. “Jesus wasn’t liked either. And Jesus was mistreated and called names.”

Oh, so she’s comparing herself to Jesus.

I found this quote, and her comment just made me scratch my head in wonder:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/…..;cset=true

Following his freshman year, Huckabee, 18, married 18-year-old Janet McCain of Hope, whose adventurous spirit contrasted with his measured and methodical style. Just over a year into their marriage, doctors discovered a cluster of cancerous tumors near Janet’s spinal cord. Experts told them she needed surgery that would probably leave her unable to walk or ever have children.

“He should’ve left me,” Janet reflected recently.

opie_jeanne @ 91

dakine01 @ 77

One thing about Huckabee, IIRC, he has been quoted as saying that if the R’s nominate Rudy or Freddie or say Newt, then a lot of people owe apologies to Big Dog for the Impeachment and family values cr*p.

He really said that? His stock just went up half a point with me, not that they don’t already owe Bill an apology.

Huckabee says GOP not above character issues Clinton may be owed apology if party candidates not held to same standard

Oklahoma kiddo @ 104

If I were a Republican, I think my choice would be Huck.

I am a Republican and I have NO choice. I can’t figure out who I should vote for in order to cripple the party. What a terrible attitude I have right now.

punaise @ 35

I’ve heard Huckabee interviewed a couple of times and he sounds like a decent fellow. Other than the flat earth wingnut dogma, what am I missing?

Perhaps this.

LS @ 101

Tucker: Fred Thompson is pro-choice!!!!!

I can no longer deal with Tucker. He makes me angry.

Huckabee has no money
In fact, he hasn’t worked in a while where is he getting money to live on…

Huckabee makes sense b/c he isn’t tainted by Iraq and can try to sell himself as the candidate of change b/c he hasn’t been in Washington, DC.

I think the others will crash and burn.

However, losing the election b/c the vote is split by a minor party candidate might be an acceptable outcome.

Republicans may hope that a multi-way race would keep Dems below 50% leaving the GOP a sort of excuse for losing. And the media would continue to push the idea that the American people really support the Republicans.

dakine01 @ 108

opie_jeanne @ 91

He really said that? His stock just went up half a point with me, not that they don’t already owe Bill an apology.

Huckabee says GOP not above character issues Clinton may be owed apology if party candidates not held to same standard

Wow. The man has a bit more depth than I thought. Granted, I only rated him as deep as a standard pie pan before, so now he’s moved up to a loaf pan.

opie_jeanne @ 109

Oklahoma kiddo @ 104

If I were a Republican, I think my choice would be Huck.

I am a Republican and I have NO choice. I can’t figure out who I should vote for in order to cripple the party. What a terrible attitude I have right now.

You have made an interesting comment. I don’t know what to make of it.

Not to be an “I Told You So Person” but I predicted this at least six months ago. :)

My reasoning at the time was that the Republicans would need to run against themselves and the only one who is truly not tainted by what they presently are is Huckleberry. So . . . .

(If you want to really scared, I also predicted he would win)

Huckabee gets punked by the CBC’s Rick Mercer:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=BhTZ_tgMUdo

behindthefall @ 99

(This got seriously EPU’ed; could I insert this here without interfering too much?)

OT, but I finally stumbled across a site where waterboarding is discussed by a very knowledgeable person, and it is NOT a ‘SIMULATION OF DROWNING’; it IS drowning. He writes:

“2. Waterboarding is not a simulation. Unless you have been strapped down to the board, have endured the agonizing feeling of the water overpowering your gag reflex, and then feel your throat open and allow pint after pint of water to involuntarily fill your lungs, you will not know the meaning of the word.

Waterboarding is a controlled drowning that, in the American model, occurs under the watch of a doctor, a psychologist, an interrogator and a trained strap-in/strap-out team. It does not simulate drowning, as the lungs are actually filling with water. There is no way to simulate that. The victim is drowning. How much the victim is to drown depends on the desired result (in the form of answers to questions shouted into the victim’s face) and the obstinacy of the subject. A team doctor watches the quantity of water that is ingested and for the physiological signs which show when the drowning effect goes from painful psychological experience, to horrific suffocating punishment to the final death spiral.

Waterboarding is slow motion suffocation with enough time to contemplate the inevitability of black out and expiration –usually the person goes into hysterics on the board. For the uninitiated, it is horrifying to watch and if it goes wrong, it can lead straight to terminal hypoxia. When done right it is controlled death. Its lack of physical scarring allows the victim to recover and be threaten with its use again and again.

Call it “Chinese Water Torture,” “the Barrel,” or “the Waterfall,” it is all the same. Whether the victim is allowed to comply or not is usually left up to the interrogator. Many waterboard team members, even in training, enjoy the sadistic power of making the victim suffer and often ask questions as an after thought. These people are dangerous and predictable and when left unshackled, unsupervised or undetected they bring us the murderous abuses seen at Abu Ghraieb, Baghram and Guantanamo. No doubt, to avoid human factors like fear and guilt someone has created a one-button version that probably looks like an MRI machine with high intensity waterjets.”

Ugh. Revolting. I’m glad I read it, though.

This is an interesting scope of what all of the candidates positions are regarding Iran:

http://www.cfr.org/publication/13421/

Huckabee has a position on eyerak and eyeran
he supports Shrubco

Oklahoma kiddo @ 115

opie_jeanne @ 109

I am a Republican and I have NO choice. I can’t figure out who I should vote for in order to cripple the party. What a terrible attitude I have right now.

You have made an interesting comment. I don’t know what to make of it.

Well, I don’t know what to make of it either. I am so d**ned frustrated with the choices my party keeps making, when they always choose the extreme candidate over the moderate and then expect someone like me to vote for him. I have talked to a lot of other Republicans who feel the same way. We retain our registration partly because of habit, partly because we are being stubborn and hoping that we will recover control of our party. I don’t know if I should hold out hope any more for that… except the idea of the Religious Right stomping off and taking their votes elsewhere looks like a chance for the rest of us to make some noise.

behindthefall @ 99

(This got seriously EPU’ed; could I insert this here without interfering too much?)

OT, but I finally stumbled across a site where waterboarding is discussed by a very knowledgeable person, and it is NOT a ‘SIMULATION OF DROWNING’; it IS drowning. He writes:

“2. Waterboarding is not a simulation. Unless you have been strapped down to the board, have endured the agonizing feeling of the water overpowering your gag reflex, and then feel your throat open and allow pint after pint of water to involuntarily fill your lungs, you will not know the meaning of the word.

Waterboarding is a controlled drowning that, in the American model, occurs under the watch of a doctor, a psychologist, an interrogator and a trained strap-in/strap-out team. It does not simulate drowning, as the lungs are actually filling with water. There is no way to simulate that. The victim is drowning. How much the victim is to drown depends on the desired result (in the form of answers to questions shouted into the victim’s face) and the obstinacy of the subject. A team doctor watches the quantity of water that is ingested and for the physiological signs which show when the drowning effect goes from painful psychological experience, to horrific suffocating punishment to the final death spiral.

Waterboarding is slow motion suffocation with enough time to contemplate the inevitability of black out and expiration –usually the person goes into hysterics on the board. For the uninitiated, it is horrifying to watch and if it goes wrong, it can lead straight to terminal hypoxia. When done right it is controlled death. Its lack of physical scarring allows the victim to recover and be threaten with its use again and again.

Call it “Chinese Water Torture,” “the Barrel,” or “the Waterfall,” it is all the same. Whether the victim is allowed to comply or not is usually left up to the interrogator. Many waterboard team members, even in training, enjoy the sadistic power of making the victim suffer and often ask questions as an after thought. These people are dangerous and predictable and when left unshackled, unsupervised or undetected they bring us the murderous abuses seen at Abu Ghraieb, Baghram and Guantanamo. No doubt, to avoid human factors like fear and guilt someone has created a one-button version that probably looks like an MRI machine with high intensity waterjets.”

I ran across the same article and added a few links to it

I think you are right. AS the candidate he will of course lose, he has some bagage himself. That said I think he is the candidate to bring the Republicans back to the republican tent after their romp with the Neo-con woolyheads. He has the Evangelical fevor of a old time revival taht might actually pull in some evangelical black and hispanics. If the Republican Machine gets behind him he may even make the race competative.

He could do for the Republicans what Goldwater did in 1964, lead the eay for a new republican ascendancy. With the DEmocrats being milk-toast knee-bucklers republicans might be able to return as the party of Reagan as quickly as 2016.

I really don’t think you are that far out on a limb.

Now how do we get a leader that can trumpet the Democrat revival. Old time middle class values like thrift in life stlye and extravagnace in taking care of their neighbor.

The Party need to set up a National Savings fund where rank and file can commit to saving 2% of their income each month. That fund could invest in helping people caught in the Sub Prime fiasco to refinace their homes at low interest rates, with no gimics. It would be the result of US labor helping our own people to get back on their feet. Any earning on these savings accounts would stay here at home, not go to some foreign bank. It is not a give away the people who save will retain their investment.

For a mortgage holder to benifit from this rescue plan they must be willing to take a fair market value payoff and waive predatory fees and interest increases. We the people can help our brothers and reinvest in our country.

The people helped would need to be people who could reasonably keep up with payments and the upkeep of a home and were caught up in predatory lending. We need to revive the Middle class and a new generation of new home owners is just the way to do that. Better yet helping your neighbor is good for them and good for our country. Who needs Governemnt if it does not meet the needs of the governed. We are a people perfectly capable of leading ourselves.

I go – do not belong to – a church that closed its doors for one weekend of services and reached out to serve the community. The result was amazing, the church astounded themselves at the power that people have. They will say through God and I will not dispute that. People organized all sorts of projects to help all kinds of people with all kinds of needs. The Church attendance runs over 3000 a week and a large part of those people responded.

We as a people are better than what our governemnt has become. Our attitude should be, lead, follow or get out of the way.

Think outside the Box

nonplussed @ 10

The Huckster is indeed a scary person. I can see it all quite clearly now, an evolution denying pResident. We are already a laughingstock in the eyes of the World, why not go for the gusto?

And think of the money we could save doing away with all those biology classes.

opie_jeanne @ 121

Oklahoma kiddo @ 115

You have made an interesting comment. I don’t know what to make of it.

Well, I don’t know what to make of it either. I am so d**ned frustrated with the choices my party keeps making, when they always choose the extreme candidate over the moderate and then expect someone like me to vote for him. I have talked to a lot of other Republicans who feel the same way. We retain our registration partly because of habit, partly because we are being stubborn and hoping that we will recover control of our party. I don’t know if I should hold out hope any more for that… except the idea of the Religious Right stomping off and taking their votes elsewhere looks like a chance for the rest of us to make some noise.

What are your biggest issues?

opie_jeanne @ 68

*sigh*
I spend my vote cancelling my 89-year-old father’s vote. Last week he said he was going to vote for Thompson, because they have the same first name. sheesh.

Same thing here with my mothers husband. Die-hard repub. Right or wrong, he’s voting repub. Then a strange thing happened in 2006, for the first time ever, he didn’t vote. All the ‘discussions’ we had may have had an effect.

raven @ 100

Janet Huckabee said in the Times article that her critics have bothered her. “If it wasn’t for the grace of God, I’d have shot a few people already,” she said. “Jesus wasn’t liked either. And Jesus was mistreated and called names.”

This is classic Janet. The Hucks bought a home as they were leaving the gov. mansion this year and started an illegal gift registry at the local Dillards…once reported in the AR Times..they had to return everything… Janet howled for weeks over the loss of her new free dishes.

Bush tells us today ‘that all we can do is support the President of Pakistan’. Who is this “we”.

“Our hope is that he will restore democracy as quickly as possible,” Bush said.

“Democracy”. In Pakistan?

Huckabee is a good enough man. I actually got a kick out of seeing a clip of him jamming on a stage with a band.

But all it took was recently reading his quotes about ” the Holocaust of abortion” and incredibly reiterating that Tom DeLay line used in that video that came out a few months ago – you know the one with the kid posing as a documentary film maker at the Young Republicans meeting – on us not needing to ‘import all this immigrated labor if those abortions had never happened’. That’s a nut job mating call.

.

The Republican party has been hijacked by the Neocons…who used the religious right to takeover, in fact, the country has been hijacked by Neocons…who used the Republicans and the religious right to takeover….it isn’t even a Republican vs Democratic problem. JMHO

I hate to mention it, but if the GOPers actually wanted to win, they should choose Paul – a bona fide anti-war candidate, to run against Hillary (calculating warmonger and flat out liar: of course she knew then what she knows now. She’s not that stupid.)

Paul would attract a large anti-war vote. And GOPers will pinch their ugly little noses and vote for Paul anyway just to reject Clinton.

Hell. I don’t even know who I would vote for faced with that choice.

“He’s using the trappings of the governor’s office to get everything he can, and the sad part of it is, I honestly believe he does not see anything wrong with this,” said Kerns, a retired lawyer for the Department of Veterans Affairs. “It’s like ‘ethics’ is a foreign word to him.”
http://www.swtimes.com/article…..news09.txt

LS @ 129

The Republican party has been hijacked by the Neocons…who used the religious right to takeover, in fact, the country has been hijacked by Neocons…who used the Republicans and the religious right to takeover….it isn’t even a Republican vs Democratic problem. JMHO

Some say my party (Dems) has also been “hijacked”.

Tortoise @ 132

I hate to mention it, but if the GOPers actually wanted to win, they should choose Paul – a bona fide anti-war candidate, to run against Hillary (calculating warmonger and flat out liar: of course she knew then what she knows now. She’s not that stupid.)

Paul would attract a large anti-war vote. And GOPers will pinch their ugly little noses and vote for Paul anyway just to reject Clinton.

Hell. I don’t even know who I would vote for faced with that choice.

Read a little more about his views and the choice will be clear.

Here’s my prediction:

The 2008 Republican nomination will go to a king-sized asshole.

Also, it will at some point rain. At least a little…

Oklahoma kiddo @ 133

LS @ 129

The Republican party has been hijacked by the Neocons…who used the religious right to takeover, in fact, the country has been hijacked by Neocons…who used the Republicans and the religious right to takeover….it isn’t even a Republican vs Democratic problem. JMHO

Some say my party (Dems) has also been “hijacked”.

Pretty much…it’s all like a giant game of blindman’s bluff…or political braille.

“He should’ve left me,” Janet reflected recently.

Spouses can feel very guilty about bringing an illness into a relationship, especially a newer one. It’s pretty normal.

LS @ 136

Oklahoma kiddo @ 133

Pretty much…it’s all like a giant game of blindman’s bluff…or political braille.

Some say my party (Dems) has also been “hijacked”.

Sorry for nesting the comment…..:(

Arca @ 18

Jeb Bush is quietly waiting in the wings…

Just so you know, Jeb Bush is not liked to much in Florida, Home Insurance went way up and High School Graduation Rates went down.

Tortoise @ 130

I hate to mention it, but if the GOPers actually wanted to win, they should choose Paul – a bona fide anti-war candidate, to run against Hillary (calculating warmonger and flat out liar: of course she knew then what she knows now. She’s not that stupid.)

Paul would attract a large anti-war vote. And GOPers will pinch their ugly little noses and vote for Paul anyway just to reject Clinton.

Hell. I don’t even know who I would vote for faced with that choice.

Perhaps the choice becomes how much one values peace in the Middle East. And if that is the critical choice, would Hillary Clinton or Ron Paul be the most trustworthy on that stand alone issue. Many argue without peace, nothing else matters.

Oklahoma kiddo @ 139

Tortoise @ 130

I hate to mention it, but if the GOPers actually wanted to win, they should choose Paul – a bona fide anti-war candidate, to run against Hillary (calculating warmonger and flat out liar: of course she knew then what she knows now. She’s not that stupid.)

Paul would attract a large anti-war vote. And GOPers will pinch their ugly little noses and vote for Paul anyway just to reject Clinton.

Hell. I don’t even know who I would vote for faced with that choice.

Perhaps the choice becomes how much one values peace in the Middle East. And if that is the critical choice, would Hillary Clinton or Ron Paul be the most trustworthy on that stand alone issue. Many argue without peace, nothing else matters.

Some argue nothing matters anyway.

Roddy McCorley @ 134

Here’s my prediction:

The 2008 Republican nomination will go to a king-sized asshole.

Also, it will at some point rain. At least a little…

lol

JPL:

Oh, I do know about his other views. But the war is all-consuming for me. And with a Democratic Senate and/or House he could presumably be kept in check on other issues.

Do you really trust Hillary to end the war?

http://executiveorders.blogspo…..91101.html

“Some argue nothing matters anyway.”

What do you mean?

new post

Sandman @ 138

Arca @ 18

Jeb Bush is quietly waiting in the wings…

Just so you know, Jeb Bush is not liked to much in Florida, Home Insurance went way up and High School Graduation Rates went down.

How did Jeb’s plan to have repairmen and meter men report on homeowners turn out? Was there a surge in arrests for smoking pot?

“Congratulations Canada on preserving your national igloo.”

Gov. Huckabee

Kos long ago singled out Huckabee as his worst fear for a Republican candidate. The mystery then was why he was not getting any traction. However, I think you may be right now since the media is bored with the so called leaders and since Huckabee is gaining ground in Iowa.

huckabee appears the best fit with the religious fundamentalists, perhaps even despite his craven use of the arkansas state treasury for personal gain. the fundies don’t seem concerned with such transgressions; they only fume when candidates support gay marriage or belong to odd religious groups.

quin hillyer, former editorial writer for the arkansas post-gazette, writes an excellent piece on the former governor, some of which y’all may remember (like the wedding gift registry), and some of which is completely new info to someone not from arkansas (like the five times the arkansas ethics commission censured huckabee).

read it here.

PW you probably know this but Huckabee is no longer the current govener in Arkansas, Mike Beebe (D) won last November against Hutchinson(R) former deupty at DHS.

I think Huck is a long shot.

I agree with Clinton that he should not be underestimated. Especially if the power Repugs got behind him and cleaned up his fundie weirdness a little. And if he was seen as a real possiblity the fundies would fight hard for him, nobody excites them yet.

He had some hard fights with the Dem congress here, so he can be tough IMO.

He and his wife did this weird marriage thing here years ago at an arena, couples coming and making a pledge of some kind. It was kinda cultish to me.

I was impressed with him last week when he was talking about bringing the arts back into the schools to give them a more rounded education. But when he gets into science ….. all crazy.

My Republican Dad is watching him close and hoping he will get chosen for the VP by the nominee, but he doesn’t think hes got a chance for the nomination from the business side of that party, at least not yet.

God, I hope you are wrong. Maybe you just like picking longshots :)

You are wrong because the powers that be in the Republican Party realize that the 25% of the GOP electorate who won’t show up are easily matched by the 25-50% of the Democratic electorate (count me among them) who won’t show up due to the continuing sellouts of the middle-class through “free trade agreements”, the US Constitution and basic human decency through Patriot Act, MCA, fascist appointments, etc, and just their general lack of principle and inate spinelessness.

And I sure as hell won’t show up to vote for an A*P*C loving, let’s stay in Iraq and let’s bomb Iran DLC puke like Hillary Clinton.

And that is what they call non-fucking-negotiable.

What about Ron Paul? There are orders of magnitude more Ron Paul campaign signs on lawns and businesses here in New Hampshire, than the spare handful of Huckabee signs I’ve seen on a casual drive-around this last weekend.

I think you are right and if so, I will be taking to to the bank, as some of my buddies gave me odds on that wager. I think if Huckabee wins the nomination, I look to make about $200.

The sad thing is, I think he is the only Republican with a shot to win the general, so I am kinda rooting against myself on this. Plus, the idea of a Guiliani meltdown is kinda appealing.

The Huckster is crazy, for sure, but we could do worse, GOP-nominee wise. I think he’s genuinely non-hateful, which is simultaneously why I don’t think he can get the GOP nomination, and why I think he’d be way better than Rudy the Nazi-wannabe.

So, I call no way, unless the convention is brokered, in which all bets are off.

behindthefall @ 99

(This got seriously EPU’ed; could I insert this here without interfering too much?)

OT, but I finally stumbled across a site where waterboarding is discussed by a very knowledgeable person, and it is NOT a ‘SIMULATION OF DROWNING’; it IS drowning. He writes:

“2. Waterboarding is not a simulation. Unless you have been strapped down to the board, have endured the agonizing feeling of the water overpowering your gag reflex, and then feel your throat open and allow pint after pint of water to involuntarily fill your lungs, you will not know the meaning of the word.

Waterboarding is a controlled drowning that, in the American model, occurs under the watch of a doctor, a psychologist, an interrogator and a trained strap-in/strap-out team. It does not simulate drowning, as the lungs are actually filling with water. There is no way to simulate that. The victim is drowning. How much the victim is to drown depends on the desired result (in the form of answers to questions shouted into the victim’s face) and the obstinacy of the subject. A team doctor watches the quantity of water that is ingested and for the physiological signs which show when the drowning effect goes from painful psychological experience, to horrific suffocating punishment to the final death spiral.

Waterboarding is slow motion suffocation with enough time to contemplate the inevitability of black out and expiration –usually the person goes into hysterics on the board. For the uninitiated, it is horrifying to watch and if it goes wrong, it can lead straight to terminal hypoxia. When done right it is controlled death. Its lack of physical scarring allows the victim to recover and be threaten with its use again and again.

Call it “Chinese Water Torture,” “the Barrel,” or “the Waterfall,” it is all the same. Whether the victim is allowed to comply or not is usually left up to the interrogator. Many waterboard team members, even in training, enjoy the sadistic power of making the victim suffer and often ask questions as an after thought. These people are dangerous and predictable and when left unshackled, unsupervised or undetected they bring us the murderous abuses seen at Abu Ghraieb, Baghram and Guantanamo. No doubt, to avoid human factors like fear and guilt someone has created a one-button version that probably looks like an MRI machine with high intensity waterjets.”

Since waterboarding involves “controlled” drowning, by definition there is potential oxygen deprivation to the brain. This, of course, is how drowning actually kills people: the supply of oxygen to the brain is cut off, and without oxygen, the brain dies. There is a continuum here as to when the point of revival takes place: The brain does not die all at once. If the point of revival is delayed in the hope of “turning the screws”, one risks killing the brain cells in the very part of the brain where the desired information is stored (assuming that the information is there at all.)

But as the case of Jose Padilla has demonstrated, under extreme torture, the personality structure can be completely taken apart, and manipulated at will. Such heinous treatment is bad enough if the person is guilty, but if the person is innocent, or guilty only of peripheral involvement of a minor sort, the interrogation itself amounts to “cruel and inhuman punishment.”

I hesitate to characterize the (im)moral standing of the inquisitors who, in the name of our “safety,” inflict such he!! on other human beings. But they don’t make me feel more safe. On the contrary, they make me more afraid– and make me wonder who the real “terrorists” are.

Bob in HI

LS @ 124

opie_jeanne @ 121

Well, I don’t know what to make of it either. I am so d**ned frustrated with the choices my party keeps making, when they always choose the extreme candidate over the moderate and then expect someone like me to vote for him. I have talked to a lot of other Republicans who feel the same way. We retain our registration partly because of habit, partly because we are being stubborn and hoping that we will recover control of our party. I don’t know if I should hold out hope any more for that… except the idea of the Religious Right stomping off and taking their votes elsewhere looks like a chance for the rest of us to make some noise.

What are your biggest issues?

My biggest issues are abortion rights, seeing Social Security protected, and something being done about the health care crisis. Other than that, I don’t like corrupt, power-hungry, Bible-thumping hypocritical politicians, and I don’t care which party they come from.
I’m a Christian and I don’t know which Jesus these guys are talking about.

LS @ 129

The Republican party has been hijacked by the Neocons…who used the religious right to takeover, in fact, the country has been hijacked by Neocons…who used the Republicans and the religious right to takeover….it isn’t even a Republican vs Democratic problem. JMHO

Thank you. Amen.

AnnieW @ 136

“He should’ve left me,” Janet reflected recently.

Spouses can feel very guilty about bringing an illness into a relationship, especially a newer one. It’s pretty normal.

Yes, maybe, but this is how many years later she says he should have left her? I think it’s wonderful that he didn’t, but it’s also part of those pesky vows they both took: in sickness and in health.

I could have sworn I typed A*P*C, but I must be mistaken because what showed up is A*P*C, and I know there is no way AIPAC would automatically change to the form of AIPAC that showed up on the screen. (A*P*C)

Mod note: Edited ** and released to clear filters.

LS @ 124

opie_jeanne @ 121

Well, I don’t know what to make of it either. I am so d**ned frustrated with the choices my party keeps making, when they always choose the extreme candidate over the moderate and then expect someone like me to vote for him. I have talked to a lot of other Republicans who feel the same way. We retain our registration partly because of habit, partly because we are being stubborn and hoping that we will recover control of our party. I don’t know if I should hold out hope any more for that… except the idea of the Religious Right stomping off and taking their votes elsewhere looks like a chance for the rest of us to make some noise.

What are your biggest issues?

And ending the war in Iraq.

Whether it’s Huckabee or some other non-Giuliani, then if so I bet Rudy becomes the third party candidate. He would assume and insist that “the GOP is soft on terrorism,” and yet, also, that “the GOP is extremist on abortion.” So he’ll run thinking he will win on a third party ticket. Makes for an even greater electoral triumph for the Democrats, in my opinion. Well, just saying.

Thank You. But I can’t for the life of me figure out why “AIPAC” was being filtered in the first place.

Scary that is….

opie_jeanne @ 87

Yes. Dad’s name is Fred. It says so on his belt buckle.

Then in that case may I suggest you buy him as a present a new belt buckle that says “Ron.”

I have a good friend who will undoubtedly vote Dem next year, but who wants the Repub candidate to be the least of the evils, just in case. I don’t think there is such a thing in this stable of GOP’ers, unfortunately, so I am concerned with all of the options…

Huck doesn’t do much for me, and I doubt he’ll get the nomination. The others scare me even more. In that regard, if you haven’t already, check out Digby today on Rudy:
http://digbysblog.blogspot.com…..-hair.html

’scuse me?

Did you not hear Phillis Schaffley claiming Huckabee has destroyed the Conservatives in Arkansas? Lots of taxes, lots of going along to get along…

Mark C @ 162

Thank You. But I can’t for the life of me figure out why “AIPAC” was being filtered in the first place.

Scary that is….

There are a number of trolls who like to use that term to inflame the threads so it has been in the moderation filters for quite some time now. Many regular commenters have learned that well placed asterisks help avoid those filters.

Clinton lost a lot of weight and has kept it off. He’s definitely going to be the GOP nominee. Wait. I’m feeling confused…I think I have the wrong former governor of Arkansas…sorry ’bout that.

bobschacht @ 98

“…you heard it here first”

Well, what’s the old thing about does a tree make a sound if it falls but there’s no one to hear it? About a month ago here on FDL in the comments I made the same prediction in response to a question, but maybe nobody heard :-)
(Sorry, no linky available.)

The big question with Huckabee is the financing. PW doesn’t really address that, in her otherwise perceptive analysis. I didn’t either, but I see that now as critical.

Is Huckabee in a financial position to capitalize on his favorables? Or will the mud continue to slide harmlessly from Teflon Rudy, despite all indications that he’s the real rat in the race?

Bob in HI

Oh, OK, then you heard it here second. ;-)

Ava Mae Lewis @ 165

’scuse me?

Did you not hear Phillis Schaffley claiming Huckabee has destroyed the Conservatives in Arkansas? Lots of taxes, lots of going along to get along…

For real? Hmmm.

On the other hand, Schlafly could be backing a different guy, so that has to be taken into account.

I don’t post much, but love the site…

not sure about Huckabee, but I really think that Guiliani will start to tank soon. There’s too much excess baggage beginning to surface, not only about Kerik, but about his record in general. He was far from the “hero of 9/11″, and that’s the opinion of many who were onsite from the beginning. They’re speaking out, from the fire department, the police, and many New Yorkers just tired of his sainthood status. They endured a lot under his reign, and they know the real Rudy. Whether that means a win for Huckabee or Mittens, I don’t know. The whole field is so pitiful that no one seems able to break out as a winner.

Oh well…I won’t lose any sleep over it!

I think Huckabee could well be the Republican nominee. I’m from Arkansas and, as a Democrat, saw his “appeal” to the Republican party long before he started his actual campaign. I’m just surprised it has taken this long for the religious right to embrace him (which really has not even happened yet). The recent Wall Street Journal Op-ed about how he raised taxes and is really a “liberal” is way too funny.

eCAHNomics @ 27

OT, but I have to share.

I am a trustee of Historic Huguenot Street (huguenotstreet.org), a small historic preservation operation that owns & maintains as museums 8 colonial buildings on their original sites, plus other properties. We have a small amount of money that has been donated for scholarships for undergraduates. Today we had the meeting to select the 9 recipients for 2007, out of about 20 applications. Let me tell you what a pleasure it was to meet, on paper, these fine young people. It was an embarrassment of riches. If only our leaders could be a upstanding as these applicants.

Sounds like a wonderful place to visit as well as to study. To save people a click, here’s where you find it: New Palz, NY.

Raph Levien @ 162

opie_jeanne @ 87

Yes. Dad’s name is Fred. It says so on his belt buckle.

Then in that case may I suggest you buy him as a present a new belt buckle that says “Ron.”

Haha! I told him I was going to vote for Ron Paul and he just gave me a blank look. Later he called me up and said, “Oh, he’s great! But he’ll never get the nomination.”

Phoenix Woman, I used to worry about Huckabee, but no more. See, he’s got a poverty problem.

Which is to say, he actually cares about it.

And that’s a dealbreaker. Caring about poverty=liberal=soft.

The fundies want someone who is possessed of rage, they WANT someone who’ll shred the Constitution, they want someone who’ll personally torture anyone accused of terrorism, even if they’re innocent.

And that man… is Giuliani.

God help us all.

Seriously, God, where are you?

What makes you so sure that Hillary is going to be the democratic nominee? You didn’t drink her kool aid, did you?

I agree with Edwards as dem. nominee. by a knock out. Corporate Hill and Obama will head butt and knock themselves out leaving clean cut. I’m so good at predicting presidents I could make money in Vegas

It will go, instead, to Mike Huckabee.

We should be so lucky.

Since we’re going out on limbs here, I’ll make the following prediction: if by some fluke Huckabee does win the nomination, he will lose the election. The Democrats could run Michael Moore and he’d still beat Huckabee.

Scary prediction for him to be the nominee. The media would play up his down-home southern charm and likability, just like they did for Bush in 2000. People would eat it up.

I’m sure it’s been said in the past, but I think Huckabee would be THE toughest Republican for any Dem nominee to beat.